Editor’s Note: This story has been edited to correct an inaccurate description of comments by a senior defense official about explosions at a Russian air base.
Ukrainian forces in the north have seen some gains in recaptured territory, including areas near Kharkiv, a senior Defense Department official said today.
In the Ukrainian city of Kherson, the forces of Ukraine continue to press hard against the Russians, the official said. For example, they caused damage on bridges used by the Russians.
On August 9, a series of explosions took place at an airbase in Russian-occupied territory. While the United States does not know what caused the explosions, the official said what is clear is that they caused significant damage to Russian aircraft and munitions used to attack Ukraine.
The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in eastern Ukraine is currently under Russian control. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, there is no immediate threat to nuclear safety, but that could change.
Russia continues to fire indiscriminately on Ukrainian territory, resulting in massive civilian casualties, the official said.
“That is largely due to the indiscriminate bombing that the [Russian forces] are doing,” the official said.
Although the Russians have significantly greater strength than the Ukraine, “the things going against the Russians are the lasting effects [of Ukraine’s progress] on their morale, their ability to sustain themselves – all of which have been affected by the Ukrainians’ ability to acquire . after [Russian] command and control, ammunition, sustainment and logistics sites,” the official said.
